Device to produce nonwoven continuous ribbons from threads

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE TO PRODUCE CONTINUOUS NONWOVEN RIBBONS FROM THREADS, COMPROSING SEVERAL PAIRS OF SUCCESSIVELY MOUNTED CYLINDRICAL ELEMENTS EACH HAVING A SMOOTH SURFACE, THE ELEMENTS IN EACH PAIR BEING DISPOSED IN PARALLEL VERTICAL PLANES SPACED APART BY NOT MORE THAN THE DIAMETER OF ONE ELEMENT, AND BEING INCLINED AT AN ANGLE TO ONE ANOTHER SUCH THAT THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE GENERATRICES OF THESE ELEMENTS IS GREATER THAN 90*, AND LESS THAN 180*, THIS ANGLE PROVIDING FOR A TRANSVERSE SHIFT OF THE THREADS FROM THE PERIPHERY TOWARD THE CENTER, THUS FORMING THE RIBBON.

D. G. KANDELAKI ETAL 3,695,977 DEVICE 'I'O PRODUCE NONWOVEN CONTINUOUS RIBBONS FROM THREADS Filed March 17, 1970 Oct. 3, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 3, 1972 D. G. KANDELAKI ETAL 3,695,977

DEVICE TO PRODUCE NONWOVEN CONTINUOUS RIBBONS FROM THREADS Filed March 17, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet I Oct. 3, 1972 D. G. KANDELAKI ETAL 3,695,977

DEVICE TO PRODUCE NONWOVEN CONTINUOUS RIBBONS FROM THREADS Filed March 17, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,695,977 DEVICE T0 PRODUCE NONWOVEN CONTINU- OUS RIBBONS FROM THREADS David Georgievich Kandelaki, ulitsa Ordzhonilridze 14; Tenzig Sergeevich Chargeishvili, prospekt V. Pshavela IV kvartal, korpus 21, kv. 26; and Georgy Alexandrovich Skvortsov, prospekt Chavchavadze 19, all of Tbilisi, U.S.S.R.

Filed Mar. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 20,273 Int. Cl. B2911 9/02 US. Cl. 156-441 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device to produce continuous nonwoven ribbons from threads, comprising several pairs of successively mounted cylindrical elements each having a smooth surface, the elements in each pair being disposed in parallel vertical planes spaced apart by not more than the diameter of one element, and being inclined at an angle to one another such that the angle between the generatrices of these elements is greater than 90, and less than 180, this angle providing for a transverse shift of the threads from the periphery toward the center, thus forming the ribbon.

The present invention relates to devices for producing nonwoven continuous ribbons.

This invention can be very successfully used for manufacturing ribbons from optical glass threads, but it can equally as well be employed to produce ribbons from natural and artificial or synthetic threads.

Known at present are devices for producing nonwoven continuous ribbons from rubber threads, which comprise a means to deliver the threads, and a means to form these threads into a ribbon, consisting of an immovable pair of elements in the form of a hook gathering the threads in one plane, and a roller with a curved grooved surface (see, for example, US. Pat. No. 2,678,676 of 1954).

In these devices, the grooved surface of the roller, though it provides for correct formation of the threads into the ribbon, does not permit accurate adjustment of the pitch between the threads when changing to another type of thread. This affects the quality of the ribbons produced. Besides, formation of the curved surface of the roller, and replacement of the roller when this surface is worn, are quite difiicult.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon producing device that permits adjusting the pitch between the threads to be formed into the ribbon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that is simple in design and reliable in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device that insures durability of the cylindrical surface of the forming elements thereof.

These and other objects are achieved with a device to produce nonwoven ribbons from threads, comprising a means for regular delivery of the threads, a means for collecting these threads in one plane, and a means to form these threads into a ribbon. The ribbon forming means comprises, according to the invention, at least one pair of immovable elongated elements with a smooth cylindrical surface wherealong the threads pass, disposed in parallel vertical planes spaced apart by not more than the diameter of one element, and disposed relative to one another at an angle that the space angle between the generatrices of the cylindrical surfaces wherealong the threads pass is greater than 90, but less than 180, thus providing for convergence of the threads from the 3,695,977 Patented Oct. 3, 1972 periphery of the elements towards their center to form the ribbon from these threads.

When producing ribbons from thin threads in the device according to the invention, the ribbon forming means is advantageously made in the form of several successively disposed and appropriately spaced apart pairs of immovable elongated elements with a smooth cylindrical surface wherealong the threads pass, said cylindrical elements in each pair being located in vertical parallel planes spaced apart by not more than the diameter of one element, and being inclined at an angle to each other such that the space angle between the generatrices of their cylindrical surfaces, wherealong the threads move, is greater than but less than 80, said angle in each subsequent pair being less than that in the preceding one, and such disposition of the pairs providing for the convergence of the threads from the periphery of the elements toward. their center to form a ribbon from these threads.

In the production of a ribbon 20 to 30 mm. wide from threads of 0.1 mm. diameter, the space angle in the last pair is preferably to be 136, and in the preceding pairs about 140 and respectively.

The herein-proposed device is simple in design and in operation, it provides for a wide range of adjustment of the pitch between the threads according to their type and kind, and also features versatility and high reliability and accuracy in operation.

The ribbon obtained in the proposed device has high quality and ample flexibility, and its threads are located in parallel. Such ribbon finds wide application in fibre optics, as well as in structural components made of fibre glass.

For a better understanding of the invention a particular embodiment thereof is described below with references to the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a basic diagram of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a pair of cylindrical elements of said device;

FIG. 3 shows another version of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows several pairs of cylindrical elements employed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 shows one more version of the device; and

FIG. 6 shows a rope made of ribbon produced in a device of the invention.

A device to produce continuous ribbons in accordance with the invention comprises a collector 1 (FIG. 1) of threads 2 coming from spools 3, a pair of elongated cylindrical elements 4 with a smooth polished surface, moving whereon are threads 2, arrangement 5 to fix the threads in ribbon 6, and a drum 7 to wind up the thusly prepared ribbon.

The cylindrical elements 4 are in the form of rods located in vertical parallel planes spaced apart by not more than the diameter of one element, and are mounted at an angle relative to each other, so that the space angle a (FIG. 2) between the generatrices of these elements is greater than 90, and less than Such disposition of the elements provides for convergence of threads 2 from the periphery toward the center, thus forming the ribbon. This angle can be readily varied according to the required width of the ribbon, and type and kind of the threads wherefrom the ribbon is formed. This variation insures adjustment of the pitch between threads 2.

The ribbon comes into arrangement 5 through guide rods 8 that can be mounted at different heights. In this arrangement, threads 2 are glued together and then dried by a heating element (not shown).

For producing the ribbon from thin threads, employed in the device are several pairs of the elongated cylindrical elements 4 (FIG. 3) with a smooth surface. These pairs are placed in succession along the course of movement of threads 2 (the movement of the threads is shown by arrow A). Elements 4 in each pair are disposed in vertical parallel planes spaced apart by not more than the diameter of one element 4, and are mounted at an angle with respect to one another, such that the space angle a (FIG. 4) between their generating lines is greater than 90, but less than 180. In this case, the angle a in each subsequent pair is less than that in the preceding one. Such disposition of the elements provides for a transverse shift of the threads from the periphery toward the center, thus forming the ribbon. These angles can be easily varied according to the width of the ribbon, and type and kind of the threads wherefrom this ribbon is formed. This variation adjusts the pitch between threads 2.

Thus, when the ribbon width is 20 to 30 mm. and the diameter of the threads is 0.1 mm., the angle a in the last pair equals 136", and in the preceding pairs is about 140 and 150 respectively.

In case of producing ribbons from synthetic threads, the latter are fed into collector 1 directly from an electric furnace 9 '(FIG. 5). Rope can be made of ribbon 6 (FIG. 6).

As the cylindrical surface of elements 4 (FIG. 3) is worn out, they are turned through a certain angle about their geometrical axis, so that threads 2 move along a new section thereof.

The device operates as follows.

Threads 2 come from spools 3 or furnace 9 into collector 1, which threads and collects them in one plane. Then, having passed along all the cylindrical surfaces of elements 4, the threads move around the guide rods 8, and ribbon 6 with the loose threads is then attached to drum 7. The ends of the ribbon having been attached to this drum, the latter is rotated, thus stretching threads 2. As the tensioned threads pass along the surfaces of elements 4, they shift from the periphery of the latter toward the center owing to the disposition of elements 4 at an angle to each other, thus forming ribbon 6. The angle a can be varied during the process of making the ribbon, so that the pitch between the threads is adjusted. This is necessary to obtain a quality ribbon. Then the threads are glued together and dried in arrangement 5 to fix them in ribbon 6. Thereupon the thusly prepared non-woven ribbon is wound on drum 7.

What we claim is:

1. A device to produce continuous nonwoven ribbons from threads or filaments, comprising means for the delivery of threads; a fixed thread collector installed downstream of said delivery means in the direction of movement of the threads; at least one pair of fixed elongated smooth-surface cylindrical elements over which the threads slide upon issuing from said collector, said fixed elements being disposed in parallel vertical planes and spaced apart at not more than the diameter of the elements at angles to one another, said angles being greater than 90 and smaller than 180 to provide for convergence of the threads and formation of a ribbon; guide rods installed downstream of said fixed elements, the threads slidingly rounding said guide rods; means for fixing threads in the ribbon, and means for winding up the thusly formed ribbon, both of the last two said means being installed downstream of said guide rods in the direction of ribbon movement.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of pairs of said elongated elements, which pairs are disposed one after another and spaced apart.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein, when a 20-30 mm-wide flat ribbon is formed from 0.1-mm. diameter threads, the space angle between the generatrices of said cylindrical elements of the last in the series of said pairs is 136 and in the preceding pairs the respective space angles are about 140 and about 150, respectively.

4. A device to produce continuous nonwoven ribbons from threads, comprising means for the regular delivery of said threads; a fixed thread collector for collecting in one plane the threads delivered to the said means; at least one pair of fixed elongated smooth-surface cylindrical elements over which the threads slide upon issuing from said collector; said fixed elements having like diameters and being disposed in parallel vertical planes, spaced apart at not more than said diameter and arranged in inclined attitudes, the space angle between the generatrices of the cylindrical surfaces of the elements over which the threads slide being greater than and less than 180 to provide for convergence of the threads from the periphery of the elements to the center thereof for the formation of a ribbon from the threads; guide rods installed downstream of said fixed elements and arranged so that the threads successively round said guide rods; means for fixing threads into a ribbon, and means for winding up the thusly formed ribbon.

5. A device to produce nonwoven continuous ribbon from threads comprising a means for regular delivery of said threads; a fixed thread collector for collecting in one plane the threads coming from said means; a plurality of pairs of fixed elongated elements arranged consecutively and in spaced relation, said elements having smooth cylindrical surfaces along which threads issuing from the said thread collector pass, said cylindrical elements in each pair being disposed in parallel vertical planes, spaced apart at no more than the diameter of one element and being inclined at angles to one another, so that the space angle between the generatrices of their cylindrical surfaces along which the threads are moving is greater than 90 and less than 180, the space angle in each subsequent pair being smaller than in the preceding pair to provide for the convergence of the threads to form a ribbon from said threads; guide rods installed downstream of said elements and arranged so that the threads successively round said rods; means for fixing threads in the ribbon, and means for winding up the thusly formed ribbon.

6. A device, as claimed in claim 5 wherein, for the production of a ribbon which is 20 to 30 mm. Wide from threads of 0.1 mm. diameter, the space angle between the generatrices of the cylindrical elements in the last pair is 136 and in the preceding pairs the respective space angles are about 140 and about respectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,678,676 5/1954 Slovin 156-441 3,145,429 8/1964 Resor 19-66 T X 3,335,049 8/1967 Current et al. 152-441 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner H. J. TUDOR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 18-8 B 

